eager
EE-guh
Eager (adj) means Keen and enthusiastic to do or have something. Example: “The puppy was eager to go out for its walk.”
adj
1
Keen and enthusiastic to do or have something.
"The puppy was eager to go out for its walk."
"The new recruits were eager to prove themselves."
"She was eager for news from home."
2
In computing, evaluating an expression immediately rather than deferring it until needed.
"An eager query loads all the related records at once instead of waiting."
"In this language, eager loading fetches the data before you ask for it."
"The compiler uses eager evaluation, so the function runs as soon as it's called."
How to use eager
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWanting to do something very much, often shown through visible enthusiasm.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "anxious" — eager implies excited anticipation, while anxious implies worry.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
eager to please
eager beaver
eager anticipation
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- eagers
- Past tense
- eagered
- Comparative
- more eager, eagerer
- Superlative
- most eager, eagerest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The puppy was _____ to go out for its walk.
Etymology
From Old French aigre ("sharp, keen"), from Latin acer — the same root behind "acid" and "acerbic".
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for eager
See all rhymes for eager →Frequently asked questions
What does “eager” mean?
The word “eager” means keen and enthusiastic to do or have something. In plain terms, wanting to do something very much, often shown through visible enthusiasm.
How do you pronounce “eager”?
“Eager” is pronounced EE-guh (/ˈiɡɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “eager” in a sentence?
Here is “eager” used in a sentence: “The new recruits were eager to prove themselves.”
What is another word for “eager”?
Words with a similar meaning to “eager” include keen, solicitous, raring, alacritous, athirst and fain.
What is the opposite of “eager”?
The opposite of “eager” — its antonyms — are averse, disinclined, reluctant and unwilling.
What part of speech is “eager”?
“Eager” is an adjective.
Where does the word “eager” come from?
The word “eager” comes from Latin. From Old French aigre ("sharp, keen"), from Latin acer — the same root behind "acid" and "acerbic".
Is “eager” a common word?
“Eager” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between eager and anxious?
"Eager" expresses positive enthusiasm — you look forward to something with pleasure. "Anxious" literally involves worry or unease, although it is very widely used to mean eager, as in "anxious to help." Careful writers reserve "anxious" for situations tinged with nervousness and use "eager" for pure enthusiasm.
Is it "eager to" or "eager for"?
Use "eager to" before a verb: "eager to learn," "eager to please." Use "eager for" before a noun: "eager for news," "eager for change." Both constructions mean keenly wanting something; the choice depends only on what follows.
What is the difference between eager and lazy evaluation in computing?
Eager evaluation computes an expression immediately, as soon as it is encountered, while lazy evaluation defers the work until the result is actually needed. The same contrast appears in data loading: eager loading fetches related data up front, and lazy loading fetches it on demand. Each approach trades predictability against avoiding unnecessary work.
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